Cemented carbides including a hard phase composed mainly of tungsten carbide (WC) and a binding phase composed mainly of an iron group element are used as materials for cutting tools. The characteristics required for cutting tools include strength (for example, transverse rupture strength), toughness (for example, fracture toughness), hardness (for example, Vickers hardness), plastic deformation resistance, and wear resistance.
For example, in a cemented carbide described in Patent Literature 1, WC grains are tightly bound to improve plastic deformation resistance. A cemented carbide described in Patent Literature 1 includes a hard phase formed of at least one composite compound of carbide, nitride, and carbonitride containing tungsten (W) and an metallic element other than W, in addition to a hard phase composed mainly of WC. WC grains and composite compound grains are bound together to improve fracture resistance.